Standing During Ceremony?

[goodtoglow]

Hello all!

 

I'm looking for your opinions on having guests standing during our ceremony. 

The beach we picked (Lindquist Beach in St Thomas, USVI) really only fits 40 chairs. We absolutely love the beach and are not willing to switch. We anticipated around 50 guests coming, with 15 including us making up our wedding party, so 40 chairs would have been adequate. We now have 87 people booked and counting!!! Super exciting, but we definitely didn't expect so many people to come!

 

If we had a few friends get to the ceremony site before everyone else and co-ordinate with our wedding planner, to space everyone out so they would have a good view of us, do you think it would be okay to not have any chairs? The ceremony would probably be 10-15 minutes, and we have no one coming of ill health (and we could possibly have a few chairs hidden on hand in case someone does fall ill prior to the cruise but they still want to come). 

 

Thoughts?? Thanks!!

[lshaef]

I defn think not doing chairs is fine especially when the ceremony is only about 15 minutes.  If you have any older guests that may need to sit, perhaps you can have a row of chairs and have them designated for those people.  Yes, you would defn need to have someone there organzing  the guests so it is done orderily.

 

[rkingtx]

I'm having 14 guests and having chairs, just because it comes with my wedding package. I would prefer chairs to standing so am happy to have them but I think guests standing would be just fine also. Good luck!

[bizzyangel]

I don't think it would be bad. Only thing I would be cautious how long will the people be standing there before the actual ceremony starts? I mean 10-15 minute ceremony would be doable but if there is any sort of delay or a long time before the actual ceremony starts it would be annoying to me.

[johnnmakenzie11]

i think it would be ok. if you aren't willing to change the beach then it will have to be ok!  i would probably do one row of chairs in the front just in case anyone doesnt like the idea of standing.

[Teira1031]

I think standing would be fine if you're not having a long ceremony

[goodtoglow]

Thanks everyone for the input!

I will arrange the timing so that they don't have to stand too long before the ceremony. At this point there isn't anyone coming who would be unable to stand for the short length of the ceremony, but just in case I'm sure I could have some chairs at the back (I have also seen pictures of the ceremony location and there are picnic tables in the back which would work). 

[*Lo*]

Not going to lie, I am not of ill health, and I'm not old but I wouldn't want to stand for a 15 minute ceremony in the sun. Sure it's doable but it's not enjoyable.

[cougs]

I'm just curious whether there will be enough space for 87 *people* if there isn't even enough room for 40 chairs. A chair doesn't take up really any more room than a guest does.

[*Heather*]

I've been to a ceremony before where we had to stand, and to be honest I wasn't really fond of it.  The ceremony wasn't that long but it just isn't all that comfortable to stand and watch someone get married.  I kept looking at the lucky few that did have a seat, and wished I was one of them.  Instead of paying attention to the wedding.  If it's the only option, I guess you'll have to make that call, but as someone who has been to a wedding like that, I didn't speak all that highly of it.  Just giving my 2 cents!